The field of invention relates generally to lithography systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to controlling the relative dimensions of recorded patterns and original patterns during lithography processes.
Great interest surrounds magnification and reduction of pattern sizes during lithographic processes. As discussed by Feldman et al., in WAFER CHUCK FOR MAGNIFICATION CORRECTION IN X-RAY LITHOGRAPHY, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 16(6), November/December 1998 pp. 3476-3479, one method to correct magnification, involved bending a wafer to conform to a chuck surface, a portion of which is a sphere of adjustable radius. As a result, both increases and decreases in a pattern size may be accommodated by using convex and concave spherical surfaces.
United States patent application number 09/907,512 entitled HIGH RESOLUTION OVERLAY ALIGNMENT METHODS & SYSTEM FOR IMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY, filed Jul. 16, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,615), discloses correction of magnification errors during imprint lithography processes. Specifically, disclosed is a template adjustment device that may be coupled to a support configured to hold the template during use. The template adjustment device may be configured to alter the size of the template during use. This may be achieved by applying forces to, or altering the temperature of, the template. Similarly, the dimensions of the substrate may be altered, in lieu thereof or in conjunction therewith. In this manner, compensation of magnification errors may be achieved to ensure that a template or photolithographic mask used to pattern a layer is properly adjusted with an existing patterned layer disposed on the substrate.
A need exists, therefore, to provide improved control over relative dimensional sizes of an original pattern disposed on a mold and a recorded pattern on a substrate.